Tempe, AZ Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Tempe, AZ Summary

Cost of living in Tempe research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Tempe is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Arizona, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Tempe is 105, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Tempe is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Tempe ranks as the #66 cheapest in Arizona out of 94.

  • Tempe ranks as the #3,676 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Tempe is $321,300.

  • The median income in Tempe is $64,080.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
105
Tempe's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Tempe, AZ?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Tempe has an overall cost of living index of 105, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Arizona, Tempe has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Arizona's index of 107.

The standard of living in Tempe ranks as #66 most affordable out of the 94 places we measured in Arizona. By definition, that implies Tempe ranks as the #28 most expensive place in the Grand Canyon State.

For more reading on life in Tempe, check out:

66 out of 94
In Arizona
3,676 out of 6,412
In America

Tempe Cost Of Living Vs. Arizona

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Tempe. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Tempe is 94.

  • The Groceries index in Tempe is 100.

  • The Health index in Tempe is 91.

  • The Housing index in Tempe is 115.

  • The Transportation index in Tempe is 107.

  • The Utilities index in Tempe is 107.

Living Expense Tempe Arizona National Average
Overall 105 107 100
Services 94 102 100
Groceries 100 101 100
Health 91 94 100
Housing 115 121 100
Transportation 107 105 100
Utilities 107 97 100
For more reading on cost of living around Arizona, check out:
Tempe Cost of Living Vs. AZ

Tempe, AZ Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Arizona, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Tempe is $321,300.

  • The Median Rent in Tempe is $1,345.

  • The Median Income in Tempe is $64,080.

  • The Home Value To Income in Tempe is 5.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Tempe is 0.25x.

Statistic Tempe Arizona United States
Median Home Value $321,300 $265,600 $244,900
Median Rent $1,345 $1,172 $1,163
Median Income $64,080 $65,913 $69,021
Home Value To Income 5.0x 4.0x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.25x 0.21x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Tempe, AZ
$321,300
Median Home Value
$1,345
Median Rent
$64,080
Median Income

Tempe, AZ Costs By Category

Detailed Tempe Services Costs Vs. Arizona

Item Tempe Arizona
Shampoo $0.99 $1.06
Movie $8.84 $10.68
Bowling $17.06 $14.67
Haircut $17.22 $18.62
Beauty Salon $41.67 $39.05

Detailed Tempe Groceries Costs Vs. Arizona

Item Tempe Arizona
Ground Beef $3.91 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.68 $1.39
Milk $1.63 $2.05
Potatoes $3.42 $3.29
Pizza $10.99 $10.62
Beer $9.58 $9.38
Toothpaste $1.53 $2.34

Detailed Tempe Health Costs Vs. Arizona

Item Tempe Arizona
Optometrist $96.17 $108.57
Doctor $96.33 $116.17
Dentist $89.83 $99.13

Detailed Tempe Transportation Costs Vs. Arizona

Item Tempe Arizona
Gasoline $2.49 $2.22
Tire Balancing $45.83 $50.07

Detailed Tempe Utilities Costs Vs. Arizona

Item Tempe Arizona
All Electricity $189.67 $167.67
Phone $178.49 $175.64

Tempe SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
9.5
Safety
4
Amenities
9.5
Education
8.5
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Tempe

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Tempe. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Phoenix, AZ has a cost of living index of 96, 0.9x Tempe.

  • Mesa, AZ has a cost of living index of 98, 0.9x Tempe.

  • Chandler, AZ has a cost of living index of 107, 1.0x Tempe.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Tempe
Phoenix, AZ 1,591,119 96 0.9x
Mesa, AZ 497,752 98 0.9x
Chandler, AZ 272,439 107 1.0x
Gilbert, AZ 262,249 113 1.1x
Glendale, AZ 245,685 97 0.9x
Goodyear, AZ 93,651 105 1.0x
Santa Cruz, CA 62,714 186 1.8x
Queen Creek, AZ 57,728 112 1.1x
Fountain Hills, AZ 23,639 124 1.2x
Sun Lakes, AZ 13,912 109 1.0x

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